Your Running Myths – Busted!

By On March 7, 2023 · 4 Comments

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Check me out as a featured blogger on the Brooks blog today!  I’m busting some common nutrition myths and sharing a healthy running recipe.  Good nutrition does not have to be complicated or expensive!


 

I am a loyal Brooks shoe and clothing fan (see this post) and I’m excited to be featured on their Blog.  This is my first of four running myth posts for the Brooks blog!

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Tagged with: Brooks • Guest Blogging • Running
 

2013 Sundance Film Festival, Part III {Travel}

By On March 6, 2023 · Leave a Comment

 Of course, a weekend at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival wouldn’t be complete without a day of skiing!  We hit the slopes of the Park City Ski Resort.  The snow was so-so, but we still enjoyed ourselves.  Of course there was a huge storm that dumped a bunch of powder the day we headed home!



Check out that beard!  He’s promised to trim it before the wedding.  For now, I’m jealous that he has a built in face-warmer!


And of course, no long day of skiing is complete without some hottub action:


During my interview in SLC, the residents talked a lot about their love of winter sports and how they get away to the mountains whenever they can.  Given that this view is only 35 minutes outside of town, I can see why they are hooked!


Don’t forget to check out Sundance Part I and Part II!!

 







Tagged with: Park City • Salt Lake City • Sundance • Travel • Utah
 

Mini Pavlovas with Blood Orange Curd {Recipe}

By On March 4, 2023 · 2 Comments

After the first bite of these mini pavlovas with blood orange curd, pronounced them one of the best desserts he has ever had.  I can’t make this stuff up folks!  Given the crazy amount of time and effort that goes into making things like cakes and how easy these were to whip up, it’s safe to say I’ll be making pavlova more often!


In less than two weeks, residency placements will be announced, in a fun-but-terrifying “ceremony” held by the medical school.  Basically, the residency placement process after medical school involves you making a ranking list of all the places you interviewed at, and the programs do the same of all the applicants that they interviewed.  A giant computer locked in a super secret location (at least that’s how I envision it) combines all the data and spits out your perfect “match”.  It sounds like speed dating, doesn’t it?

Matches are revealed on March 15th.  The ceremony involves people opening their match letter and reading it out loud in front of the whole school.  As someone who doesn’t like surprises, this sounds horrifying to me!  I’m planning to open my letter in private with Pat instead, even if that makes me a wet blanket.


Mini Vanilla Bean Pavlovas

From 


4 egg whites, at room temp – you can save the yolks for the curd recipe below

1 cup sugar, preferably

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 vanilla bean


1.  Beat room temperature egg whites on medium high until thick.  With the motor running, add the sugar very slowly.

2.  Add salt, cream of tartar and the seeds from vanilla bean.  Continue beating on high until mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form.

3.  Drop 8 scoops of mixture, about 1/2 cup each, onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Use a spoon to make a well in the center of each meringue.

4.  Bake for 2 hours at 200 degrees F.  Turn the oven off and allow meringues to cool in the oven with the door ajar for 2 more hours.  Pavlovas can be stored at room temperature for up to three days in an airtight container.


 

Blood Orange Curd

From Domestic Fits


Blood orange zest from two blood oranges

1/2 cup blood orange juice, about 3 blood oranges

1 Tbs lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. corn starch

1 whole egg plus three yolks

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed


1. Combine the zest, juices, sugar, cornstarch, and eggs in a small saucepan and whisk until combined.  Add the butter and cook over medium/low heat.  Whisk until thickened, about 10 minutes.

2.  Allow to cook to room temp.  You can refrigerate until ready to use, up to three days.

 

Mini Pavlovas with Blood Orange Curd


Mini Pavlovas

Blood Orange Curd

1 cup whipping cream

2 T. sugar

Blood oranges, for garnish


1. Whip the cream and sugar until it holds a soft peak.

2.  Layer the homemade whipped cream and blood orange curd onto each mini vanilla bean pavlova.

3.  Garnish with sliced blood oranges, if desired.




 







Tagged with: Blood Orange • • Desserts • Gourmet • Meringue • Pavlova • • Vanilla Bean • Vegan •
 

S’mores Cupcakes {Recipe}

By On February 28, 2023 · Leave a Comment

I have wanted to try a s’mores cupcakes recipe for so long!  I’ve seen several recipes online for cupcakes with a chocolate base, but I really wanted to replicate my favorite cupcakes from Cupcakes a Go Go, a local bakery in Madison.  Luckily, I came across a great recipe from Bon Appetit. I also loved that it had a chocolate ganache on top.  I paired this with Martha Stewart’s marshmallow frosting recipe to create the ultimate s’mores cupcakes recipe!



These cupcakes will also be making an appearance on my wedding dessert table.  So far the plan is Carrot Cake, Chocolate Cake with Caramel Buttercream, decorated sugar cookies, blueberry pie, and cheesecake!  I can’t believe the wedding is less than three months away.  There is still a lot to do, but I feel like I’m making great progress.

Graham Cracker Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

Adopted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 15 whole crackers ground in processor)
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temp
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

  • Line cupcake tin with paper liners. Combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt in medium bowl.
  • Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Add vanilla. Add graham-cracker mixturein 3 additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with graham-cracker mixture.
  • Divide batter among cupcake liners.
  • Bake at 350F for 17 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Transfer to wire rack to cool.
  • Place chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream just to boil in microwave or saucepan; pour over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute; stir until smooth. Cool ganache until lukewarm.
  • Push apple corer about 1 inch into top of each cupcake; remove cake, forming hole.  Pipe ganache into holes in cupcakes and spread two teaspoons of ganache over each cupcake.


Homemade Marshmallow Frosting

From
Makes enough for 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

  • 8 egg whites
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan filled with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

 

S’mores Cupcakes Recipe

1.  Cover graham cracker cupcakes with ganache, as above

2.  Pipe homemade marshmallow frosting on each cupcake.  I used a Wilton 1M tip but next time I will probably use an open large tip, like the Wilton 1A. I think it would toast a bit easier this way

3.  Use a kitchen torch to “toast” the marshmallow frosting.  Alternatively, you could use your broiler but you have to keep a very close eye on them as there is a very fine line between toasted and charred!







Tagged with: Cupcakes • • • S'mores • Treats •
 

2013 Sundance Film Festival, Part II {Travel}

By On February 27, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Because it was the closing weekend of the film festival, there wasn’t as much going on.  It seems like most of the celebrities had already slipped town.  This was definitely a disappointment, as I was absolutely convinced that I was going to run into Susan Sarandon and George Clooney.  The biggest celebrity we saw was main actress from the most terrible doctor show on television right now (and that says a lot as most of them are pretty terrible), Mob Doctor.  I just went to google it now, and it looks like it was canceled halfway through its first season.


We recovered from the disappointment by pretending that we were celebrities instead.  Cue sunglasses, big cameras and headscarves:



“No photos please!”

Luckily, our friend Steve is a photographer, so we were able to take our own celebrity glamour shots:     

I’m really photogenic, don’t you think?  

 All photos courtesy of 







Tagged with: Film Festival • Friends • Park City • Pat • Salt Lake City • Sundance • Travel • Utah
 

Grapefruit Sorbet {Recipe}

By On February 25, 2023 · 9 Comments


Happy Monday!  For whatever reason, I feel absolutely refreshed by a wonderful weekend and ready to tackle the week.  That doesn’t happen that often!

By February, it always seems that winter has outstayed its welcome.  One of my favorite things about winter is that citrus season.  Although grapefruit are on the way out, there is still time to pick up a bag to make this amazing grapefruit sorbet recipe!  It is the perfect mix of tart and sweet, and is absolutely refreshing.  The color is absolutely stunning too!  It’s enough to make me wax poetic.


I remember reading somewhere that if you put your citrus in the microwave for a few seconds before squeezing, it makes it easier to get every last bit of juice out.  Of course, I forgot to try it, but let me know if you do and have any success!


Grapefruit Sorbet Recipe

Adopted from 

Ingredients:

5 1/2 c. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (from about 6 large grapefruit)
1 1/2 c. sugar

Directions:

1.  Combine grapefruit juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk until sugar dissolves, around 5-6 minutes.

2.  Refrigerate for 25 minutes, or until chilled.

3.  Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the directions – for me, this was about 25 minutes.

4.  After churning, pour into a container and freeze for 6-8 hours until frozen.








Tagged with: • Fruit • Grapefruit • Ice Cream • • Snacks • Sorbet